Thanks, folks, for this truly wonderful exchange on
meaning, carving, and materials. It is a priviledge to
be amongst you.
I think the discussion of Eliade was right on the mark,
at least for me. Stone and the act of creation being an
ancient, sacred act and connection. If it didn't feel
like that to me, I couldn't justify having someone
quarry something out of the earth for me to hammer at.
All I know is that after many years of dinking around
with other media, knowing I had the urge to create but
not really being moved by the act of creation in a very
satisfying way, last year I finally found stone. The act
of direct carving (though I have created at this point
only four sculptures) has been utterly fulfilling, as
have the end products.
Whatever that connection is with stone, the tactile
nature of working it, the three dimensionality, the
texture, weight, and presence of the finished
piece--these and many other factors all seem to work
more powerfully on me (and also, it seems, on those I
show the works to) than any other media I have used. I
don't know much about anatomy, or have much technical
skill, I just know that after doing my first small
soapstone piece, I had found my medium, or it had found
me.
I compare this sense of connection or recognition with
how I feel about aikido, meditation, and my wife. In
each case, there was a discovery: something was true and
undeniable and real--and called to me to become
involved.
Peter
__________________________________
Peter Tavernise
petert[AT]mindspring.com
http://www.mindspring.com/~petert
When you can hold the suffering of the world in your heart,
and yet never forget the vastness of the great Eastern sun,
then you can make a proper cup of tea.
-- Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
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